Power-transmitting means for transit concrete mixers



April 20, 1954 F OURY 2,676,003

POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS FOR TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXERS Filed April 3, 1951v 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 20, 1954 .1. F. OURY 2,676,003

POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS FOR TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXERS Filed April vs.1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 20, 1954 OFFICE POWER-TRANSMITTINGMEANS FOR. TRANSIT CONCRETE MIXERS John Foster'Oury, Melrose Park, 111.,assignor to .Oury Engineering Company, Wheaten, 111., a

copartncrship Application April 3, 1951, Serial N 0. 218,981

Claims.

My invention relates to reversible power transmitting apparatus, and hasparticular reference to power transmitting apparatus for operation of aconcrete mixing drum mounted upon by a truck chassis thereby producing aconcrete transit mixer described and claimed in abandoned applicationSerial No. 213,774 filed March 3, 1951, of which I am a joint inventor.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of reversible powertransmitting apparatus in which the source of power is the motor of thetruck having a power take-01f shaft from the transmission leadingthrough a hydraulic pump which supplies power to a reversible hydraulicmotor with mechanical connections therefrom to the concrete drum bymeans of which the drum may be rotated in either direction.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a power transmittingapparatus which is smooth and direct in operation and which does notimpose an exceedingly heavy load quickly upon the motor of the truck sothat it is apt to stall, and also applies power to the drum in a smoothaccelerating fashion so that the drum is rotated easily and smoothlyWithout the shocks incident to an ordinary mechanical connection withthe motor of the truck.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of powertransmitting apparatus which is simple in operation and which can bedisconnected in use so as not to impose a load on the truck motor tosuch an extent that it would be stalled, particularly when the truck isascending a heavy grade or is engaged in pulling the truck up a heavyincline sufficient to utilize substantially all of the power of thetruck motor.

I am aware that various types of mechanical take-off mechanisms from atruck motor has been employed for the purpose of operating a mixing drummounted upon a truck, this apparatus has not proven satisfactory largelybecause or" the shocks involved when the concrete drum is initiallystarted to rotate, and also the truck driver is not able to utilize thepower of his truck motor to the best advantage in these mechanicalconnections. This has led in many instances to the mounting of aseparate motor for operating the concrete mixing drums, which practicehas not been satisfactory from an upi keep standpoint, and from thenecessity of maintenance of the motor andmany other objections to thisstyle of device.

Another and further object of my invention to the provision of apparatuswhich is simple in operation and which is not materially affected byweather or road conditions and which can easily and quickly becontrolled by the operator at all times for both directions of rotationusually necessary for the changing of the drums, the mixing operation,and the discharge of the contents of the drum.

These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and betterunderstood by the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section of aportion of a truck and the front end of a mixing drum mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a view partially in section and partially in elevationshowin the various mechanical parts applied to the chassis of the truckand to the mixing drum.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on lines 33 of Figure 2 and Figure l is adiagrammatic view showing the various operating parts of the powertransmitting device.

Referring now specifically to the drawings and in which like charactersrefer to like parts throughout, sills it and ii of a truck chassis areshown having the usual internal combustion motor l2 mounted thereon withthe usual transmission it having a take-ofi shaft is connected with thetransmission mechanism with the usual clutch mechanism under the controlof an operator not shown but which is common with devices of thischaracter and forms no part of the present invention.

Mounted upon the sills it and H of the truck is a tube frame having sidemembers l5 and I6 which are mounted upon the sills it and H by blocksEl, l'l, and form the foundation for a built up pillow block it whichhas a bearing it thereon at its top within which is journalled a shaft20 secured to a plate 25 on the forward end of the mixin drum 22 withthe shaft 2% forming an axle upon which the drum 22 rotates. A largesprocket wheel 23 is secured to the Plate 2! and has a sprocket chain ismounted thereon which is connected with the power operating mechanismhereinafter described.

A hydraulic pump 25 is provided, preferably of the radial vane varietycommon in the'field of pumps, which is mounted upon the side of the sillH and has a drive shaft is thereon which is connected at one of its endsto a connecting shaft 2's which is coupled in turn to the takeoff shaftit connected with the transmission mechanism of the truck. The pillowblock 18 has a separating wall 28 therein with a well 29 in the wall 28which with the side walls of the pillow block forms a compartment 30 inthe upper part of the pillow block l8 within which a hydraulic fluid 3!is carried for use in the power mechanism. A pipe 32 is connected withthe separating wall 28 of the pillow block l8 and is connected at itsother end to the pump 25 and provides means by which the hydraulic fluid3| flows from the receptacle 39 to the pump 25. A pressure control andreducing device 35 is provided with an outlet pipe 33 leading theretothe pump 25 with a pipe 35 leading from the pressure control device 35back to the receptacle 30 in the pillow block l8 which pipe 35 carriesthe hydraulic fluid SI from the pressure control device 34 back to thereceptacle 30 so that complete circulation of th hydraulic fluid maytake place with the power device idling.

A hydraulic motor 36 is provided also of the radial vane variety havinga motor shaft 37 eX-- tending therefrom with a sprocket wheel 38 mountedon the motor shaft 3'! and which has a sprocket chain 39 thereon leadingto a sprocket wheel 46 mounted upon a jack shaft 4| supported inbrackets s2 and 33 which are secured to the bottom wall 28 of the pillowblock with the sprocket wheel as being received into a well 2!; formedin the wall bottom 28 of the receptacle as within the pillow block [8.At one end of the jack shaft 4!, a sprocket wheel A l is mounted whichis connected with the sprocket chain 2 5 so that the rotative force ofthe motor 36 is transmitted through the sprocket wheels 38 and 38 andsprocket chains 33 and 2 1 to the drum 22. A sprocket connection istransmitted to the drum 22 supply pipes. The motor 36 has supply pipes45 and 46 connected thereto which lead to a four way valve ll of theusual form and which has an operating handle 68 connected therewith bymeans of which the four way valve is controlled by the operator. A pipe59 is provided which is connected with the pipe 33 at one of its endsand to the valve 3? at its opposite end while at the opposite side ofthe four way valve d'i, a pipe 50 is provided which is connected withthe return pipe 35 leading to the receptacle 3 3 'by means of which thehydraulic fluid 3| is circu-- lated back into the tank 30 during theoperation of the apparatus and after the fluid has passed through thefour way valve 4'! or the pressure control device 34.

In operation the structure is comparatively simple in that when the fourway valve 4': is under the direct control of the operator or may havesuitable operating connections to the handle 28 leading to someconvenient location in the truck, whereby the hydraulic fluid isadmitted to the valve l'i through the pipe d9 from the pipe 33. When thepump 25 is in operation with the handle 48 in vertical position the fourway valve t? is closed and the hydraulic fluid under pressure from thepump 35 passes from the pump 33 into the pressure regulating device 3Where its pressure is reduced and it flows back into the receptacle 313.When the handle 58 of the valve 41 is moved to the left as shown indotted position of Fig. i, the ports in the valve 5? are opened so thatfluid under pressure flows through the pipe 49 into the pipe 45 to themotor 35 causing the motor 36 to rotate in one direction, and forpurposes of illustration, power is conveyed to the drum '22 to rotate ina clockwise direction as seen by the operator standing at the rear ofthe truck for the charging operation of the drum and also for the mixingopera- 4 tions. As the drum is rotated in this direction, the fluidpasses from the motor 36 into the pipe it back through the valve 41 andwhich, when the handle is in the position as hereinabove described,opens ports in the valve 41 so that the fluid flows through the valve 41from the pipe is into the pipe an, and to the return pipe 35 thuscompleting a cycle of operation of the fluid during the charging andmixing operation of the drum.

When it is desired to reverse the direction of travel of the drum 22 forthe discharge operation, the handle 48 is moved into the right handposition as shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 4, whereupon the hydraulicfluid coming from the pipe 33 enters the valve 41 through the pipe 49and passes into the motor 36 through the pipe 25 through the motor 36into the pipe 45 and back to the valve 41. When the valve handle 48 isin the right hand position, the ports in the valve Al leading from thepipe 55 is connected with the outlet pipe 50 so that the fluid flowsinto the return pipe 35 and back into the receptacle 38 forming a partof the pillow block 18 thereby. The motor 36 operating in a reversedirection from that described for the changing and mixing operation,rotates the drum 22 in a counterclockwise direction which discharges thecontents therefrom out of the open end of the drum 22 the operation ofwhich is described in detail in abandoned application hereinaboveidentified.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the device isconstantly under the control of the operator. When the operator connectsthe power take-off shaft M with the gear transmission, the pump 25commences to function building up a pressure to the control device 3dwhere, with the valve d7 closed, the pressure is reduced and the fluidreturns through the pipe 35 to the receptacle 3!]. With the valve handleof the four way valve 4'! in vertical position, the pump 35 will operateplacing the hydraulic fluid passing therefrom pressure usuallyapproximately 2,000 pounds per square inch, to the pressure reductiondevice 34 where the pressure is reduced to substantially no pressure orto a very low pressure, whereupon the fluid flows back into thereceptacle 3t. When the operator wishes to rotate the drum he moves thehandle d3 of the four way valve to the left hand position which resultsin the material in the drum being mixed and retained in the drum duringits charging and mixing operation to a sufficient extent desired, andwhen the mixing is completed, the operator can stop the rotationmovement of the drum 22 by moving the lever it back to a verticalposition. If the motor of his truck is being subjected to a very severestrain, he disconnects the take-off shaft it from the transmissionmechanism so that the entire power of his motor can be directed to thetract or effort of the truck itself. This. load would normally continueonly for a short time and by resetting the mechanism as described above,the mixing can be and may be continued. in operation while the truck isstanding still with the truck motor in operation, but disconnected fromthe transmission mechanism leading to the wheels of the truck. When itis. desired to discharge the lading of the drum 22, then the operatormoves the handle into the right hand position as shown in Fig. 4 whereas hereunder described the drum 22 is rotated in a counterclockwisedirection and the lading dish rg r m theid um a c ntinuous operation, orthe discharging operation may be performed in a number of smalloperations by moving the handle is into a vertical or right handposition subject to the will of the operator. ihis operation iscontinued until the entire lading of the drum is discharged therefrom.

While I have described more or less precisely the details ofconstruction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto,as 1 contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and thesubstitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or renderexpedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a motor driven truck, a concrete mixing drummounted in the said truck, a power take-off shaft from the operatingmotor of the said truck, a combined pillow block and supply tank forhydraulic fluid, a hyraulic pump driven by said power take-off shaft aconduit from the said tank to the pump, a pressure regulating device, anoutlet conduit from the said pump to said pressure regulating device, areturn conduit from the pressure regulating device to the said tank, atwo way hydraulic motor, a four way valve having an inlet conduitconnected to the conduit leading from the pump to the pressureregulating device, and having an outlet conduit leading therefrom to thereturn conduit from the pressure regulating device to the said tank, apair of conduits leading from the four way Valve to the said motorwhereby fluid under pressure may be selectively admitted to either ofsaid conduits leading from the valve to the motor, the other conduitproviding means whereby the fluid returns from the motor through thefour way valve to the return conduit to the tank, a jack shaft mountedin the said pillow block, sprocket wheels thereon, a sprocket chain.from the said motor to one of said sprockets on the jack shaft, and asprocket chain from the other of said sprockets to the said drum.

2. In combination with a motor driven truck, a concrete mixing drummounted on the said truck, a power take-01f shaft from the operatingmotor of the said truck, a combined pillow block and supply tank forhydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump driven by said power take-01f shaft, aconduit from the said tank to the pump, a pressure regulating device, anoutlet conduit from the said pump to said pressure regulating device, areturn conduit from the pressure regulating device to the said tank, atwo way hydraulic motor, a four way valve having an inlet conduitconnected to the conduit leading from the pump to the pressureregulating device, and having an outlet conduit leading therefrom to thereturn conduit from the pressure regulating device to the said tank, apair of conduits leading from the four way valve to the said motorwhereby fluid under pressure may be selectively admitted to either ofsaid conduits leading from the valve to the motor, the other conduitproviding means whereby the fluid returns from the motor through thefour way valve to the return conduit to the tank, a jack shaft mountedin the said pillow block, sprocket wheels thereon, a sprocket chain fromthe said motor to one of said sprockets on the jack shaft, and asprocket chain from the other of said sprockets to a sprocket wheel onthe said drum.

3. A transit mixer comprising in combination a motor vehicle, a concretemixing drum, a combined pillow block and hydraulic fluid receptacle thepillow block supporting one end of a mixing drum, a hydraulic motormounted on the said pillow block, a transmission shaft on the saidpillow block, sprocket wheels on the said shaft, sprocket chains on thesaid sprocket wheels, a sprocket wheel on the mixing drum, the saidsprocket chains connecting the sprocket wheels on the transmission shaftwith the said motor and the sprocket wheel on the said drum, and asource of hydraulic fluid under pressure whereby the said motor isoperated.

4. A transit mixer comprising in combination a motor vehicle, a concretemixing drum, a pillow block having a transverse wall therein whereby ahydraulic receptacle is formed within said pillow block, a hydraulicmotor mounted on the said pillow block, a transmission shaft on the saidpillow block, sprocket wheels on the said shaft, sprocket chains on thesaid sprocket wheels, at sprocket wheel on the mixing drum, the saidsprocket chains connecting the sprocket wheels in the transmission shaftwith the said motor and the sprocket wheel on the said drum, and asource of hydraulic fluid under pressure whereby the said motor isoperated.

5. In combination with a motor driven truck, a concrete mixing drummounted on said truck, a power take-off shaft from the operating motorof said truck, a pillow block for the drum including means defining asupply tank for hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump driven from said powertake-off shaft, a conduit from said tank to the pump, a pressureregulating device, an outlet conduit connecting said pump to saidpressure regulating device, a fluid return conduit from the pressureregulating device to said tank, a hydraulic motor adapted to be drivenin forward and reverse directions by fluid from the pump, valve meanshaving an inlet connected to said outlet conduit and having an outletconnected to said return fluid conduit, said valve means including apair of valve controlled ports, conduit means respectively connectingsaid valve controlled ports to the motor, whereby fluid under pressurefrom the pump may be selectively directed through said valve means toeither of said last mentioned conduit means fOr delivery to the motorwith the other of said conduit means providing means whereby the fluidmay return from the motor through said valve means to said return fluidconduit to the tank and power transmission means from said motor to theconcrete drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 732,908 Thomson July 7, 1903 1,242,033 Painter et al Oct. 11,349,924 Swanson Aug. 17, 1920 1,801,162 Jaeger Apr. 14, 1931 1,867,838Jaeger July 19, 1932 2,006,280 Schueter July 2 1935 2,446,242 OrshanskyAug. 3. 8

